title: DSM IV axis II traits can influence compliance to treatment with oral naltrexone: a preliminary study on 30 opiate dependent patients.
abstract: For many decades, health specialists have successfully used their clinical ingenuity to increase the efficiency of opiate detoxification protocols. However, even if drop-out rate has decreased significantly in today's protocols, relapse after opiate detoxification remains a major problem. Therefore, naltrexone hydrochloride, an opiate antagonist, has been considered by many as a potential tool to support abstinence in what has been called "antagonist-assisted abstinence" (AAA). Nevertheless, while naltrexone implants are becoming more accessible, a large majority of centers still use oral naltrexone and adherence to treatment remains a major obstacle to AAA's efficiency. As the personality profile could give an insight into compliance, we investigated the relationship between personality profiles and naltrexone adherence in a cohort of 30 patients. The results indicate that the Axis II profile influences the likely pattern of oral naltrexone compliance. As clinicians need to identify opiate dependent patients who are most likely to benefit from oral naltrexone treatment, it therefore carries important implications and could lead to a better adjustment of therapeutic strategies for opiate dependent patients.
authors.affiliation: Université Libre de Bruxelles, CHU Brugmann, Service de Psychiatrie, Clinique d'Alcoologie et Toxicomanies, Place Van Gehuchten, 4, B-1020 Bruxelles, Belgium. Electronic address: manu.streel@chu-brugmann.be.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Streel
authors.forename: Christie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chenut
authors.forename: Constentin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papageorgiou
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verbanck
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D010551:Personality; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009271:Naltrexone
keywords: Axis II profile; Naltrexone; Treatment adherence